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                Track Research Overview
    

    
    
          A railroad track on a sunny day.Track and infrastructure failure is the second leading cause of train derailments in the U.S. Incorrect interaction between moving vehicles and the track is a common cause of derailments. Strategic priorities for this program are:

Develop track inspection technologies that detect defects before they become failures in service
	Develop computer modeling capabilities to improve understanding of vehicle-track interaction, wheel and rail profiles and contact conditions
	Expand the use of autonomous recording methods to provide more frequent and cost-effective measurements of track condition
	Develop new methods for monitoring difficult to detect safety issues such as longitudinal rail force, ballast lateral restraint and ballast condition
              eLibrary
      
                              
                  
                  Track Research Reports
      
    
          Last updated: Wednesday, December 4, 2019 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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